Knockdown picnic table



Nov. 14, 1944. J, C, LA RUE 2,362,567

KNOGKDOWN PICNIC TABLE Filed May 6, 1941 lNvEN-ron John 0. .La/ue ,EE BYATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1944 `.mlm c. Le nue, Bamm-idee; ohioyApplication May s, 1941i Seminarraum '1 claims.

This invention relates to the art of collapsible tab1es and the like,especially "picnic tables.

*The object of this invention is to devisean efrficient and dependablesupporting structure for 4'the table and seat members, all of which canbe conveniently collapsed and -packed into substan- 'tially iia't yformand readily set up for use.

Another object is to devise such a structure thatcan 'also be arrangedfor use as a bed, `by

virtue of the reversibility of parts.

A 'further object is to provide a convenient :canopy-supporting means inconnection with the .structure when employed either as a picnic tablelor as a bed.

More speciiically, the object is to devise strong structure thatcomprises a minimumnurnvber ofparts or unitary form,`comp`rising tubularelements, and that are not apt to getout of order orbecome broken andthat can be collapsed into `substantially'iiat condition'for storage ortransfistru'cture when employed as a picnic table `with -acanopy-supporting structure embodied therein;

I2 is a perspective view of the same `struc- 'ture when employed `as abed, the canopy-sup- ."p'orting frame 'being `here omitted:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail viewl of one of the `-`I'c'onnectlons at,the end of the transverse tubular members, when employed either as atable or bed without the canopy-supportinglframe; and

.fFigL- 4 is: a viewcorrespcnding with the showiiigxof Fig. 3 except'that here the canopy-supporting frame is included.

` 'It is -to be understood that the present formof disclosure is" merely`for the purpose of illustration' and that there might be devisedvarious `i'nodiifi'cations thereof withoutdeparting from the fspirit ofthe present invention as herein set forth Vand claimed. l

VIn the present form or construction, the entire "iframe consists Vofmetal tubing of comparatively U-shaped tubular, portion 2 which islocated atvlo 'about mid-length `of the member I. This `invert- 1edU-shaped member is :intended to support the members' '9 there are4p'ern'lanently attached the vtable member 3 which' may be ofwood;landthe :side 'portions of the member I, at the `two sidestotithe'table,"are intended'rto supportthe seat 'The invertedU-shapedportion Zwill, ofcourse, 4aiord @properhel'evation forthe tablewith respect Atothe elevationofthe seats.

At each end ofleach member' I there is permanently attached a'T-connector vmember '5 with the duplicate-screw-'threaded portions 5aand 5b frame is employed'for supporting a table `and seats, as in-Fig.1, the lower projections ofthe T- connectors are adaptedto receive thescrewvthreaded ends of the inverted T-shaped legs 6.

When the table is set up, as -shown in Fig. l, the legs 6 -are rotatablyadjusted so that their feet `6a occupy positions extending lengthwise ofthe table; and when the-table isknocked down, the legs may be rotatablyadjusted fso that 'the feet Bavwillvoc'cupy positions in thesame planeas the inverted'-U-shapedportionlz which in 'turn lis inthe same plane"as the upwardly and downwardly-extending portions of the T-connectors5.

As -afmeans -of :holding the seat .members` 4 in position, each one isprovidedwith-a'hole '1 near the outer end corner thereof `s'o-asto ntover the "projection of the T-connector `5, and a flanged/screw-threadedmembe'r 8 is engaged in the T- connectorv projection,Vthe flange' thereof having effectiveholding engagement with the.adjacent portion of uthefseatmenibeig in each case, as indicated 'in"Figf 3. I Any` suitable means may be employed-for securing4 the -tablemember orimembers in place, if deemed necessary or advisable.

`It is, lo! course, more. essential that a securing 'meansbeiprovidetlfor holding the seat members infplace. It is to be understood that thetable itself may'lcomprise .Japlurality ofrboards instead `of a single-stable member, if so desired.

`have screw-threaded engagement' with the T- connector at each lcornerasa part of the' supporting means fora canopy C, the screw-threaded`washer t'vserving to hold the `seat members in place in this assembly.`Attne upper endsof the removably secured I*by yscrew-threadedengageseats. `The canopy' C, tis-indicated, extends `over the toprofthesuperstructure justdescriliedl and may be `v`reitvziils'V removedtherefrom; iin fact the entire canopy-supporting structure may bereadily taken down and collapsed into compact form dicated in Fig. 2,upon which there may then be placed the table and seat members 3 and 4side by side and in the same plane for use asa bed or the like.' If sodesired, the canopy-supporting structure may be added thereto byapplying the uprights 9 to the upwardly projecting portions of theT-connectors, in the same manneras indicated in Fig. l.

If so desired, the table and seat members may be formed of foldablehinged sections and any suitable means may be employed for f holdingthem in rigid extended condition during their ,use upon the supportingstructure.

It is to be understood, also, that in addition to the table and seatsupporting units at the two ends there may be employed an intermediateduplicate unit or units, if deemed necessary or'advisable.

As compared with the many prior collapsible` or knockdown tables andseats, my present structure is reduced to a comparatively few unitaryparts which are also of comparatively small bulk but which at the sametime are su'iciently strong and dependable by-virtue of. the structuralna- -ture and form; and my structure possesses also the furtheradvantage-of-being collapsible very f readily into a comparatively smallspace, since 4al1 of the parts may occupysubstantially flat condition.The reversibility of parts, permitting. use of the supporting frame as abed or the like, constitutes another important Yfeature of my invention.

what I daim is: 1. A knockdown table and seat comprising aplurality ofduplicate seat-supporting members,

1a? table-supporting inverted U-shaped member attached to each of saidseat-supporting-members at .about mid-length thereof, an invertedT-shaped leg having rotatably adjustable con-- nection with each endof'eachseat-supporting members so that the T-head may occupy posi-.tionvat ninety degrees to the seat-supporting member for supporting thesame or be turned to dispose the T-head into the plane of the' table andseat-supporting members so as to lie in substantially the same planewith said inverted U.-shaped members, whereby said members may -bestacked in substantially at condition when the tableand seat members areremoved,- at

seat and table members therefor, and means lfor removably securing saidseat members in position at opposite sides of the table.

2. A knockdown table'and seatcomprising a plurality of duplicatestraight seat-supporting members of tubular form, a table-supportinginverted U-shaped member-attached tov each yof said seat-supportingmembers at about midlength thereof, a T-connector member attached toeach end of each of said seat-supporting members and having upwardly anddownwardly extending screw-threaded portions, an inverted T-shaped leghaving screw-threaded connection with each of said vdownwardly extendingpor- -tions so that the T-head may occupy position at ninety degrees tothe seat-supporting member for supporting the same or be turned todispose the T-head in the plane of the table and seat supporting membersso as 'to lie in substantially the same plane with said invertedU-shaped member, whereby said members may be stacked in substantially atcondition when the table and seat members are removed, flat seat andtable members therefor, said seat members having apertures to engageoversaid upwardly extending portions, and screw-threaded means forengagement with said upwardly extending portions for securing said seatmembers in place.

3. A knockdown table and seat comprising a lplurality of duplicatestraight seat-supporting members, table-supporting members, meansattaching a table-supporting member in parallel arrangement above eachof said seat-supporting members, a T-connector member attached to eachend of eachA of said seat-supporting members and havingv upwardly anddownwardly extending duplicate screW-threaded portions, an invertedT-shaped leg adapted for screw-threaded yengagement with either of saidportions of said T-connector member, flat seat and table members, andmeans for removably attaching said seat members to the other of saidportions in each instance, said seat and table members being of anaggregate width corresponding with the extent of said seat-supportingmember, whereby a table may be arranged in a diierent plane from that ofsaid seat members, with the supporting members in oneY position, or thetable and seat members may be arranged together in the same plane so asto provide a bed or the like, with the supporting members in invertedposition.

4. A knockdown table and seat comprisingla plurality of duplicatestraight unitary seat-supporting members of tubular form, a table-sup-Aa hole at each end for engagement over said extending portions of saidT-connector members when in upwardly extended position, screwthreadedmeans for removably securing said seat members to the upwardly extendingportions, said seat and table members being of an aggregate widthcorresponding with the extent of said seat-supporting member, whereby atable may be arranged in an elevated plane from that of the seatmembers, when the supporting mem- -bers occupy one position, or thetable and seat members may be arranged together in the same plane so asto providea bed or the'like, when the supporting members occupy invertedposition, and whereby said legs may be turned 'to occupy positionentirely in the same plane-as the supporting members so as -todisposeeach entire supporting structure in substantially flat and compactcondition.

5. In a device of the class described, a pair of duplicate supportingmembers, a substantially Ainverted T-shapedl leg having rotatablyadjustable connection with each end ofeach of said supporting members sothat each T-head may 'occupy position at ninety degrees to itssupporting member for supporting the same or be turned to dispose eachT-headin the plane of its supporting member for convenience in stackinginto substantially at condition, and a removable flat member adapted tobe supported upon said supporting members.

6. A knockdown table and seat comprising a plurality of duplicateustraight seat-supporting members, table-supporting members, meansattaching said table-supporting members in parallel arrangement abovesaid seat-supporting members, a substantially inverted T-shaped leghaving rotatably adjustable connection with each end of each of `saiclseat-supporting members so that the T-head may occupy position at 90degrees to the seat-supporting member for supporting the same or beturned to dispose the T-head in the plane of the table and seatsupporting members for convenience in stacking into substantially fiatcondition when the table and seat members are removed, and removableflat seat and table members.

7. In a knockdown structure of the class described, a plurality ofduplicate straight seatsupporting members of tubular form, a T-connectormember attached to each end of each of said seat-supporting members andhaving upwardly and downwardly extending screwthreaded portions, aninverted T-shaped leg having screw-threaded connection with each of saiddownwardly extending portions so that the T-head may occupy position at90 degrees to the seat-supporting members for supporting the same or beturned to dispose the T-head in the plane of the seat-supporting membersso as to lie in substantially the same plane with said seat-supportingmembers, whereby said members may be stacked lin substantially flatcondition when the seat members are removed, flat seat members, saidseat members having apertures to engage over said upwardly extendingportions, and canopy-supporting means having screw-threaded engagementwith said upwardly extending portions and having means for removablysecuring said seat members in place.

i JOHN C. LA RUE.

